Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award | Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement

Founded during Washington University in St. Louis’ Sesquicentennial year, the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award is an annual award recognizing a select group of WashU community members who exemplify a character of service and contribution to the St. Louis region.

Nominations for the 2020 Ethic of Service Award are due Friday, November 15, 2019, by 5:00pm. Announcements will be made in the spring, and honorees will be recognized at an awards ceremony, followed by a private dinner, in mid-April.

Any member of the WashU community, past or current, who resides in and serves the St. Louis community is eligible to receive the award. This includes students, faculty, staff, alumni, retirees, and volunteers* of the university.

Nominations must be submitted online, and supplemental materials will not be accepted. Nominators are strongly encouraged to review the selection committee’s tips for writing a quality nomination. If you need assistance submitting your online application, please email Stephanie Kurtzman.

2019 Honorees

A Note to Student Nominators

We welcome and encourage nominations from students, whether you are nominating a peer, a recent graduate, faculty, or staff. This award recognizes 5-7 members of the WU community each year, and since 2004 at least one student has been recognized annually.

Please take the time to write a thorough nomination to help the committee understand your nominee fully. You may choose to collaborate with one or more other nominator(s) to write an even stronger nomination. Past student honorees can tell you how much the award means to them, and it wouldn’t be possible without nominators bringing them forward!

Characteristics of Award Honorees

The award committee anticipates a broad range of nominations that define service to community in many different ways. While the committee is not looking for a specific type of community involvement, characteristics of award honorees might include one or more of the following:

Shows compassion for others
Exudes passion for a social, cultural or economic issue
Creates positive impact on the St. Louis community
Considers service to the community to be a way of life
Goes above and beyond professional responsibilities in their service to St. Louis
Is dedicated to serving others
Demonstrates selflessness
Positively influences other’s perceptions of St. Louis
Believes in the St. Louis region
Inspires compassion and action in others

For More Information

Learn more about Gerry and Bob Virgil
Read “A Truly Extraordinary Couple” in Washington Magazine
View a list of all past honorees, dating back to 2004.
If you have questions about the award and/or nomination process, please contact Stephanie Kurtzman, Peter G. Sortino Director of the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.

*For purposes of the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award, university volunteers have a formal, active, and sustained role with a Washington University organization, usually in a leadership capacity, through the Board of Trustees, National Advisory Councils, or recognized university auxiliary organizations.